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This paper addresses the interface of steering, research, and business operators' perspectives to bioenergy sustainability. Although bioenergy business operators are essential for sustainable development of bioenergy systems through implementation of sustainability criteria, their perspective to sustainability is rarely studied. We systematically studied the relevant sustainability criteria and indicators from the three perspectives in different stages of a general bioenergy life cycle and in different sustainability dimensions, and evaluated bioenergy operators' sustainability principles, criteria and indicators simultaneously with respect to the steering and research data and a business sustainability maturity framework. We collected data from literature and a workshop for Finnish bioenergy experts. The results show a similar division of steering and operators' sustainability criteria and indicators to life cycle stages and sustainability dimensions with a slight emphasis on business economic sustainability from operators' perspective. The acceptability principle could provide bioenergy operators a meaningful way of identifying the role of sustainability criteria and indicators from steering and research sources in advancing their business sustainability maturity.

Forest biomass is used in many countries as an abundant and easily accessible source of renewable energy. While forest biomass has certain advantages in terms of carbon sink capability, it cannot be considered an emission-free energy source, and the environmental differences among various forest biomass sources have been unclear. This study uses life cycle assessment for two purposes. The first is to quantify the environmental impacts of the energy production of a small-scale, combined heat and power production plant utilizing different forest biomasses. The second aim is to estimate the change in environmental impacts on district heat production from natural gas when partially replacing it by heat from the combined heat and power plant. The environmental impacts include global warming potential, acidification potential, and eutrophication potential. The calculated environmental impacts of utilizing different forest biofuels in the CHP plant in relation to produced energy are 2.2-5.1 gCO2,eq./MJenergy excluding biogenic carbon emission, 59-66 gCO2,eq./MJenergy with biogenic carbon emission, and 133-175 mgSO2,eq./MJenergy and 18-22 mgPO34-,eq./MJenergy with pellets, showing the highest values. The results indicate that by using forest biomass instead of natural gas in energy production, the global climate impacts are reduced when biogenic carbon is excluded, while the local effects are higher (acidification potential and eutrophication potential). Including biogenic carbon reduces the calculated climate benefit since the total emissions end up being 4-7 % over those of natural gas use. The potential benefits need to be weighed against the possible drawbacks.

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Cite as: Kasurinen, H., Uusitalo, V., Väisänen, S., Soukka, R., Havukainen, J., From Sustainability-as-usual to Sustainability Excellence in Local Bioenergy Business, J. sustain. dev. energy water environ. syst., 5(2), pp 240-272, 2017, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.13044/j.sdewes.d5.0146 ABSTRACTBioenergy business operators can significantly contribute to the sustainability of bioenergy systems. While research has addressed the maturity of corporate responsibility for sustainability, the maturity levels of bioenergy business have not been determined. The objectives of this research were to characterise the maturity levels of bioenergy corporate responsibility for sustainability and outline an approach by which companies can operate at the most mature sustainability excellence level. Literature, three workshops attended by bioenergy experts and a case study on biobutanol production in Brazil were used to develop the maturity model and approach. The results characterise the profitability, acceptability, and sustainability orientation maturity levels through sustainability questions and methods, and list the components of a systemic, holistic approach. Although the shift of business mindset from sustainability-as-usual to sustainability excellence is challenging, a systemic approach is necessary to broadly identify sustainability questions and a multitude of methods by which they can be answered.